Writhing Embryo
by Hewie
Summary: A womb is a beautiful thing. I never knew it would cause so much corruption and death. A subject I know very, very well... [RoyEd]
1. Like an Unborn Rose

This is my first fan fiction, so please be nice.  
I know it's short, I'll try to make the other chapters longer.  
I hope everyone likes this. It took me a while to come up with the idea.  
Also, I'm going to warn you now that there is character death involved with this story and chapter.  
I'll only be placing the disclaimer in the first chapter so I don't have to retype it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist.

**Chapter 1**  
**Like an Unborn Rose**

Alphonse Elric is dead. His brother hasn't been the same since that day. Depression has consumed him, but he refuses to admit it. Ever since that moment in time, everything has been different.

_I don't wish to be here…_

Edward still works with the military, dragging himself in and doing little of what he can at his age. He mainly runs errands and files paperwork, just to keep his mind busy. But today was different. Today Ed had to investigate a murder, accompanied by Alex Armstrong.

"How do you feel Edward?" Armstrong received no response. Just as always: Ed stared off into space, as if nothing had been said to him. Armstrong sighed, speaking up again. "I've heard this is the first murder of its kind in Central." Ed locked eyes with Armstrong, seemingly interested. "A mutilation."

_Beautiful…_

The scene was more gruesome than expected. Blood was scattered upon the floor and walls. "There appears to have been a struggle." It would appear at first glance that Armstrong was correct. "No… Take a closer look at the corpse." The shocking truth - what appeared before them was once human.

Explaining the scene to Mustang would be even harder than Ed imagined. "So, how was it?" Ed sat on the couch and stared at the wall, as he always did when talking to Mustang. "Disgusting." His superior didn't seem interested. "How so?" "Blood was everywhere." Mustang leaned back into his chair. "As always. So what did they look like?" "Dunno. The face was so mutilated I couldn't tell." "Anything else we could use for identification?" Ed looked over at him. "You don't understand… There wasn't a trace of skin or hair found on the corpse."

_Beautiful…_

_Beautiful is that word…_

_Mutilation…_

Neither Mustang nor the Fuhrer understood. But the pictures that came from the scene convinced them immediately. There was nothing that could be done. The corpse couldn't be identified and the murder was tucked aside until the family members could speak up.

A week quickly passed by without disturbance. And then, one early morning, the military alarm rang. It startled Ed awake and sent shivers throughout his body. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and stumbled to his feet. Opening the door to his small dorm room, he caught sight of a few military officers dashing down the hall. He glanced in the direction they came from and saw something unrealistic.

_Death…_

_Death is beautiful…_

There, in the shadows, was a human figure, hunched down upon its hands and feet. It seemed greatly disfigured and took off as soon as Ed caught wind of it. The figure ran awkwardly, using both its hands and feet to quickly disappear from Ed's sight.

Keeping the strange monster in mind, he followed the officers, only to find a large group gathering around and gawking at something on the floor. He pushed a few people out of his way only to stand next to Mustang, and another mutilated corpse. People around began panicking and shouting obscurities. "Holy Shit!" "What happened?" "My God…"

_Beautiful like snow…_

_Death is snow…_

_Death is beautiful…_

Without being told a word, Mustang began explaining the situation to Ed. "We were walking back to my office and," He paused, stepping away from a trail of blood that found its way over to him. "And this creature jumped out of the dark and… It attacked Havoc."

Roy was in a state of shock. His face glowed pale and his eyes were wide with fear and emotion upon the terror that had just struck him. He was shaking and his voice was small like a whisper. The bloody mess that lay before them had been Jean Havoc only a few minutes before. Just like the earlier corpse.

No one could sleep. The military was set in an ongoing state of fear. Yet Ed felt nothing. He had endured so much with the loss of his brother - it didn't bother him. He never brought up the monster that was hidden in the shadows. They would know sooner or later. The lockdown the Fuhrer commanded was useless. After all, the human-like creature had already vanished.

And so Ed and Mustang remained locked in an empty office, watching the hours click by and awaiting the doors to open once again.

_Death is beautiful…_

_Beautiful…_

_Like an unborn rose._


	2. Water on Water

I want to thank Hanomaru for the review!  
So here's the next chapter! It might be a little messy because I didn't read over it like I normally do.  
Oh well, enjoy!

**Chapter 2  
****Walk on Water**

"Did you see what happened? To Havoc, I mean." Mustang shook his head. "No. There was more than one of them…" "So you saw them? Why not tell the Fuhrer when you had the chance?" Silence.

Ed rubbed his temples. "Look Roy, I know I haven't been very social or talkative lately but things like this… You can talk to me Roy – I'll listen." Still no response. Ed leaned back on the couch they were both sitting on, waiting for Roy to calm himself from the horror still plaguing his mind,

_I want many things out of life…_

It was almost an hour before Roy spoke. "I…" The sound of his voice grabbed Ed's attention. "I just can't believe I was standing right next to him…" He placed a shaking hand on his forehead. "How do you do it? How do you live everyday without fear… Or dread?"

_Wisdom…_

"I don't take care of myself like I should." Ed stared down at his feet, his eyes half open, deep in thought. "After Al died I just… Fell apart."

The next morning the military received a strange report from several civilians. They stated that screams and strange monsters could be seen by Central's park. So, again, Mustang sent Ed to check it out.

_Power…_

"Hughes?" "Hey Ed! What are you doing here?" Ed smiled. Hughes was probably the only person that could cheer him up at the moment. "Mustang sent me out. So, what happened here?" Hughes pointed to the lake. "Something happened down there, and it's not pretty.

"It's strange though… We've gotten reports from people living on the west side of the lake, but the bodies were found much further along the north." Ed looked away towards the calm water. "Doesn't seem like anything really happened. How many were found? Three? Four?" "Twenty-seven."

_Money…_

"There appeared to be only two survivors. They were transported back to Central Headquarters just a few minutes ago. I think you should talk to them Ed. After they calm down, of course."

_Sex…_

Ed agreed and was soon heading back to the Military building. The survivors were finishing a conversation with the Fuhrer just as Ed walked over to them. Both were tattered females.

_Love…_

"So, tell me what happened." After a long silence, one decided to speak up. "A monster from Hell chased us. All of us, I don't know what we did to anger it but…" Her voice trailed off into silence. "More and more appeared."

"Then," The other one spoke. "We ran to the lake and –" "What do you mean 'we'?" Ed was determined to squeeze out every bit of information he could from the two. "We were having a birthday party for Sasha…" "My daughter…"

_But there are so many things I cannot have…_

"Well Fullmetal? Tell me the story." Ed straightened his posture and locked eyes with Roy. "Sir, a similar monster to Havoc's murderer was spotted at a party for a seven-year-old girl. Apparently everyone was chased into the lake, with the exception of two: The mother and her youngest sister."

Roy sighed. "Speak to the mother one more time. Ask her what the name of her daughter is and if she still lives." A salute. "Yes sir." As Ed exited Roy's office, he bumped into Hughes. "Hey! How's it going?' "Hughes… Can I ask you a favor?"

_World peace…_

The mother seemed extremely distressed. She was jittery and didn't want to speak with Ed at first. "I must ask you… Is your daughter still alive?" She nodded slowly. "What's her name?" "…Sasha." A look of fear passed over her face, and before Ed knew what was going on, she was dead.

_Life…_

A mother. Killed by her own hand using a discarded piece of tile. She had slit her ankles open and walked barefoot. Blood loss captured her, and she died, right in front of Ed. The look of fear, as Ed had figured, was truly a look of death.

_Alphonse…_

"Sasha? My name's Edward Elric." The little girl stepped away. "Your that man mommy talked about on the phone…" Ed smiled slightly. "I am." "When is mommy coming home?" His smile faded. "She isn't. Your mommy is gone." "When is she coming back? Where's my mommy?" The girl was shouting. Tears filled the poor child's puffy eyes.

…_You…_

"Roy? I need to talk to you." Roy looked up from the papers neatly scattered about on the desk before him. "Yes?" "I…" Ed's voice was shaky and no words come out.

_I want you to love me…_

"I have to tell you something." Roy leaned back into his chair. "Go ahead." "For a long time I've been having these thoughts. I…" He sighed and took in a deep breath.

_Love me…_

_Like I love you…_

"Never mind, it was nothing important." "Very well, you're dismissed." Ed left and Hughes confronted him. "So? How'd it go?" "I couldn't tell him… I just… Didn't have the ability." "You need more time?" "Yeah… Just to think."

_I want you to hold me…_

_Protect me…_

_Love me…_

Ed received a call early the next morning. It was Winry, and she carried unpleasant news with her. "Ed? Pinako is gone." He nearly jumped out of his skin upon hearing her words. "What?" "S-she's dead." The news was suddenly a shock to Ed. He couldn't imagine what it was doing to her. "When did this happen?" "Yesterday morning.

_I want you…_

"Is it alright if I come over tomorrow and spend the weekend at Central?" "Sure Winry." "Thanks Ed, this means a lot."

"Mustang, I have a request." Roy looked up. "I would like to take a vacation for a few days." "Go on." "Winry's grandmother passed away and she's coming over for a visit." Roy sighed. "I loose more people that way… Very well, you make take off for a few days. Return on Tuesday." "Thank you sir."

_I want happiness…_

_Emotion…_

"So Ed… When are you going to tell him?" Hughes and Ed were sitting together in the mess hall, casually talking. "I don't know… When I feel comfortable enough I suppose." Hughes chuckled. "Any idea when that will be?" "Don't you have other things to worry about?" "I'm just trying to be a good friend." Ed sighed and smiled. "Thanks Hughes."

_I want to be held…_

"Wanna see my daughter in her spring dress?" "No I –" A picture was flashed in front of Ed's face. "Isn't she just the cutest thing you've ever seen?" Ed pushed Hughes arm away. "Gorgeous."

_I want…_

_To forget the past…_

"Hughes, do you think he knows?" Hughes flashed a smile at Ed, reassuring him. "I doubt he has the slightest idea." "What makes you say that?" "Well, first off you'd be the last person he'd suspect. Besides, he works with you. It's not like he's led on to believe any of that."

"But what if he doesn't believe me? The Homunculi were all killed, you know that." Hughes looked down at the table. He pondered Ed's words and agreed. "However, there is a chance another could've been made in our state of comfort."

_I want to walk on water…_

_To reach you…_

"There one more thing I wanted to talk to Roy about." "And what's that?" Ed sighed nervously. "I… I think," He paused. "I think I'm in love with him…" "Wh-what?" Hughes nearly fell out of his chair upon hearing Ed's words.

_I will walk on water…_

_To show you…_

_That…_

_I love you._


End file.
